CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE

The 'Chestnut-backed Chickadee', ''Poecile rufescens'', is a small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Often, it is still placed in the genus ''Parus'' with most other tits, but mtDNA cytochrome ''b'' sequence data and morphology suggest that separating ''Poecile'' more adequately expresses these birds' relationships (Gill ''et al.'', 2005). The American Ornithologists' Union has been treating ''Poecile'' as distinct genus for some time already.
This species is found in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and western Canada, from southern Alaska to central California. It is a permanent resident within its range, but they sometimes fly short distances in winter when their food supply gets low. They usually move to lower elevations in the same area when winter starts and move back up to higher elevations in late summer.
Its habitat is low elevation coniferous and mixed coniferous/deciduous forests. It is a cavity-nester, usually utilizing an abandoned woodpecker hole, but sometimes excavating on its own. Chestnut-backed chickadees use lots of fur and hair to make their nests. Their nests are actually 50% fur and hair. The most common hair they use comes from deer, rabbits, and coyotes. The adult chickadees also make a layer of fur about a centimeter thick which is used to cover the eggs on the nest whenever they leave the nest. It lays 5-8 (sometimes 9) eggs per clutch.
Its food is largely insects and other invertebrates gleaned from foliage. Chestnut-backed Chickadees take some seeds, especially those of conifers, and fruit. It will visit bird feeders, including hummingbird feeders.

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References

External links

References

★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

★ 'Gill', Frank B.; Slikas, Beth & Sheldon, Frederick H. (2005): Phylogeny of titmice (Paridae): II. Species relationships based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-''b'' gene. ''Auk'' '122': 121-143. DOI: 10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0121:POTPIS]2.0.CO;2 HTML abstract

★ 'Miller', K. (2001): Animal Diversity Web: ''Parus rufescens''. Retrieved 2006-NOV-21.

External links

★ BirdHouses101.com: Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Retrieved 2006-NOV-21.

★ Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Birdhouse Network - Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Retrieved 2006-NOV-21.

★ Tool Use by Chestnut-backed Chickadee

★ Chestnut-backed Chickadee videos on the Internet Bird Collection

★ Chestnut-backed Chickadee photo gallery VIREO